West Virginia Code 6-9A-8 – Acting by reference; written ballots
(a) Except as otherwise expressly provided by law, the members of a public agency may not deliberate, vote, or otherwise take official action upon any matter by reference to a letter, number or other designation or other secret device or method, which may render it difficult for persons attending a meeting of the public agency to understand what is being deliberated, voted or acted upon. However, this subsection does not prohibit a public agency from deliberating, voting or otherwise taking action by reference to an agenda, if copies of the agenda, sufficiently worded to enable the public to understand what is being deliberated, voted or acted upon, are available for public inspection at the meeting.
Terms Used In West Virginia Code 6-9A-8
- Meeting: means the convening of a governing body of a public agency for which a quorum is required in order to make a decision or to deliberate toward a decision on any matter which results in an official action. See West Virginia Code 6-9A-2
- Official action: means action which is taken by virtue of power granted by law, ordinance, policy, rule, or by virtue of the office held. See West Virginia Code 6-9A-2
- Public agency: means any administrative or legislative unit of state, county or municipal government, including any department, division, bureau, office, commission, authority, board, public corporation, section, committee, subcommittee or any other agency or subunit of the foregoing, authorized by law to exercise some portion of executive or legislative power. See West Virginia Code 6-9A-2
(b) A public agency may not vote by secret or written ballot.